


To Infinite, and Beyond

by daimonas



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Love, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 04:25:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12473452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daimonas/pseuds/daimonas
Summary: “Marry me.”The words trickle from chapped lips like water forcing its way through the cracked foundations of a worn home. He doesn’t even notice he’s said them at first. He had been watching Keith pack and load crates into the back of the shuttle destined for Olkarion when, suddenly, he was struck with how normal the task was. Lately, the Paladins and Blades had been so caught up in light shows and infiltration missions that he had forgotten that he - and everyone around him - were more than just Paladins; more than just foot soldiers in this endless, bloody war. They were people with lives, with families, with unknown promises of unknown futures together. Life wasn’t all just war and fighting - there was laughter, and love, and beauty, too.And, after everything, shouldn’t they get the chance to experience those things, too?





	To Infinite, and Beyond

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for Keith’s birthday, and I was lazy and wrote it/published it on my phone. So if there are any mistakes, I apologize for them inadvance.

“Marry me.”

The words trickle from chapped lips like water forcing its way through the cracked foundations of a worn home. He doesn’t even notice he’s said them at first. He had been watching Keith pack and load crates into the back of the shuttle destined for Olkarion when, suddenly, he was struck with how normal the task was. Lately, the Paladins and Blades had been so caught up in light shows and infiltration missions that he had forgotten that he - and everyone around him - were more than just Paladins; more than just foot soldiers in this endless, bloody war. They were _people_ with lives, with families, with unknown promises of unknown futures together. Life wasn’t all just war and fighting - there was laughter, and love, and beauty, too.

And, after everything, shouldn’t they get the chance to experience those things, too?

From the corner of his eye, he sees Keith tense as he leans over to grab some cloth to shove in a crate. After a moment, Keith seems to gather himself, and finally grabs the cloth to drop in its storage. Without looking back to Shiro, he says, “We’ve talked about this.”

Shiro sighs and closes his eyes, swallowing the disappointment that floods his system and threatens to steal his breath away. He takes a deep breath, counts to ten, then opens his eyes again to see Keith walking away from him. Without thinking, he steps forward, grabbing Keith by the shoulder, “Keith, wait - “

Keith shrugs him off and clips, “Not now, Shiro.”

Frustrated now, but refusing to show it, Shiro says, as steady as he can manage, “Just tell me why.”

Keith sighs and begins walking again. Shiro follows closely behind, waiting patiently for an answer. They reach the shuttle and Keith hoists the crate over his head, handing it off to Hunk’s steady grip. When his arms are empty, he turns, walking back towards the supplies. Finally, and without looking at Shiro, he speaks, “It wouldn’t be good for you.”

“How would it not be? Everyone already knows what you mean to me. What would marriage change, except to prove to the entire galaxy that you’re who I want to spend my life with?”

By the time Shiro is finished speaking, they’ve reached the supply cache once more. Keith hesitates before returning to his work, a look of frustration crossing his face in the form of crumpled brows. As he works, he says, “Because then it’s official. We’d be the Paladins that fell in love. Everyone would talk about it, and our enemies would know our weakest link. You think they wouldn’t use you, or me, against the other.”

Shiro sighs and clenches his jaw, grinding his teeth for a moment before speaking. “They’re going to do it anyway. They have before and they will again. Our getting married won’t make that worse, or make it go away.”

Keith stands then and turns his violet gaze to Shiro’s. Though the look of frustrated confusion still remains, his eyes are hollow - guarded. He raises an eyebrow and asks, “If it won’t change anything, then why even do it in the first place?”

Without missing a beat, Shiro answers, “Because my entire life, I’ve been doing what’s best for everyone else. I’ve put my needs, my wants, my desires on hold for the galaxy. For once, I want to be selfish, and I want to marry the man I love. Please, Keith; let me be selfish. Just once.”

Keith snorts and shakes his head, moving his gaze away from Shiro’s to an undetermined space near his foot. Quietly - so quietly that Shiro almost misses it - he says, “You seriously think I’m what’s best for you?”

Shiro walks forward, closing the distance between Keith and himself in the span of three steps. He wants to grab Keith’s face, make him look at him, but he resists the urge. Instead, he leans forward, places his forehead gently against Keith’s temple, and whispers, “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Keith. When I imagine my life, my future, it’s you - always. Whether or not you marry me, I want you by my side. Never doubt that.”

He hears Keith swallow and he closes his eyes, moving his hand up to run his fingers through the fine strands of Keith’s hair. Keith moves, shifting his hand up to grab hold of Shiro’s. Shiro lets his hand be guided to Keith’s lips, feels a gentle kiss from chapped lips touch the sensitive skin of the back of his hand, and opens his eyes as Keith leans his head back to look into Shiro’s eyes. Shiro feels the breath leave his lungs in one short gasp. Keith’s eyes are watered and his look of frustration has softened - he looks so _vulnerable_ that Shiro’s heart immediately shatters.

Keith whispers, “But.. But I’m nothing.”

Shiro shakes his head, total disbelief cloaking his mind. He reaches up, putting his hands on either side of Keith’s face, and kisses him. _Hard_. He lets his lips linger longer than probably necessary, but when he finally pulls away, he doesn’t let Keith back away. He wraps his arms around his lover and pulls him into a tight hug. “Keith, you mean _everything_ to me. I know I don’t show it as often as I should, but I love you. Okay? I love you more than you will ever know, Keith Kogane. Don’t you ever doubt that.”

After a moments’ hesitation, Keith wraps his arms around Shiro’s waist, burying his face into Shiro’s chest. They stay like that, breathing in each others’ presence, until finally, Keith says, “Okay.”

“Good,” Shiro says, releasing his grip on Keith’s shoulders. He backs away just enough to brush a light kiss over Keith’s forehead before backing away entirely. As he turns to talk away and finally get back to work, he hears Keith speak once more.

“And if you want to get married, then I guess that’s okay, too.”

Shiro stops in his tracks and spins back to Keith. Keith stands there, smiling, a light blush creeping across his nose. He’s looking away, scuffling his boot against the ground, suddenly shy. Shiro feels his heart rate pick up, and it takes every fiber of his being to not jump Keith right there. Stunned, he asks, “Really?”

Keith shrugs and glances Shiro’s way, his blush darkening before he looks away again. “Yeah. I mean, I guess if you think - “

  
Before he can finish his sentence, Shiro scoops Keith into his arms, planting a kiss firmly on Keith’s chapped lips. Suddenly, Shiro is smiling, and he can’t stop because _Keith_ the man of his absolute _dreams_  has agreed to marry him. They’re in the middle of a war, but suddenly, Shiro doesn’t care, because he and Keith are getting _married_.

A throat clearing next to them draws their attention. They both look and see Allura standing there, crate in hands, a look of part curiosity, part annoyance on her face. She says, “Are you two going to actually work today? Or are you just going to stand there kissing all day?”

Shiro and Keith both glance at each other and erupt into laughter. Shiro puts Keith down, planting one last kiss on his lips before turning back to Allura. He winks at her and says, “Oh, sorry, just busy celebrating our engagement.”

Allura rolls her eyes. “Oh, please - as if we all didn’t know that was coming. Now get to work, lover boys.”

Shiro looks over to Keith as Keith looks back to him. They smile at each other, one last time, before returning to work - all talks of marriage set aside for another day.

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MAIN BOY, KEITH KOGANE. NOW GO OUT THERE AND GET YOU SOME LOVIN’ ~!


End file.
